Vergil Ortiz Jr has considered how a potential undisputed clash between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Sebastian Fundora, his two super-welterweight rivals, might unfold in 2027.
Despite moving up to middleweight for his next outing, against Keith Thurman on December 5, Ortiz may decide to drop back down to 154lbs afterwards.
Either way, the division could crown a new undisputed king next year, just so long as Ennis wins his expected unification match with IBF champion Josh Kelly.
The pair are set to collide in early 2027, with Boots entering his first outing since dethroning Xander Zayas for the WBO and WBA titles.
As a result of his seventh-round stoppage, the 29-year-old became a two-division unified champion while Fundora, who holds the WBC strap, comes off a successful mandatory defence against Ermal Hadribeaj earlier this month.
It was hardly a career-best performance, however, as the ‘Towering Inferno’ failed to consistently utilise his 80-inch reach before scoring a dramatic – and controversial – 12th-round stoppage.
Speaking with K.O. Artist Sports, Ortiz said such mistakes could prove more costly against Ennis, who most would consider a vastly superior fighter to Hadribeaj.
“I respect both as fighters. I think Fundora … he’s a problem [to] solve, for sure. [But] I think he showed a lot of holes [in his] last fight that Jaron Ennis should capitalise on – and I think that he [Ennis] will.
“But it could honestly go either way. Fundora’s a hard fight for anybody.”
While Ennis must first get past Kelly, there also needs to be an element of compromise at the negotiating table if he is to face Fundora.
